Improvement in marine propulsiom



l zshe'efs--sheeuf R.HUNTER. MarnePr-opuls'on.

Patented May 19, 1874.

Z2Sheets-Sheet2.I R. HUNTER.

M'arine Propulsion. f N0,l50,956, `Patented MaJ/19,1874.

FFICE.

ROBERT HUNTER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

EMPRVEMENT EN MARINE PRPULSION.

Specification ioi-niingpart oi' Ldtirs Patent No. E, dated May 19, 1874;application tiled' January 13, 1873.

` To all whom it may concern:

.i in the employment of two vertical submerged feathering paddle-wheels,which are arranged at the stern of the vessel, equidistant from thecenter, and are rotated in opposite directions,

\ the action ofthe paddles, while propelling the vessel forward, beingsubstantially such that the waves created by the respective wheels runtoward each other, and,meeting in the center line of the vesselsk wake,bank up 7 into a central wave or crest, and gradually subside there,without ever reaching the banks of the canal or stream. My inventionfurther consists in the combination with two vertical submergedfeathering paddle -wheels, arranged and operating as set forth, of amechanism for controlling the position of the feathering-paddies, forsteering and other purposes. The

special feature of novelty in this combination is that the strain of twosuch steering paddlewheels, when operating in the manner sp eciiied,

will always be in lines parallel to the vessels Y course. My inventionfurther consists in making the blades or paddles tapering in width,

and arranging them with the broader end at the bottom and the narrowerend at the top of the wheels. The object of this construction andarrangement of the paddles is to increase the banking up of the water,heretofore alluded to, and this they accomplish by creating strongercurrents at the bottom than at the top of the wheels, so that themeeting bottom currents will induce a strong upward pressure or current.

Figure l is a sectional plan view, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 isa similar view, showing more conspicuously the position ofthe paddles atdifferent points of the wheels rotation. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewot' the rear end of a vessel provided with paddle-wheels according to myinvention, showing one device for operating the wheels simultaneously.The

gearing for operating the blades is omitted in are placed at the sternofthe vessel, one upon each quarter, and about equidistant from thecenter. They are rotated by meansot' a steamengine., C, or by twoseparate engines, but always at the same relative speed and in oppositedirections, as indicated by the curved arrows in Fig. 2.' The wh eelsbeing immersed, it becomes necessary to construct them witheathering-paddles. In illustration of our invention, we have chosenwheels the paddles of which rotate continuously upon their own axes atsuch a rate of speed as to make, severally, one revolution to every tworevolutions of the entire wheel. In such a wheel there is a point wherethe blades will stand at exactly right angles v to the line of thevessels course and obtain a square pull upon the water. Directlyopposite to this point the blades will stand parallel to said line, andat the intermediate points the blades will exert a propelling action, inmanner like the blade of` a screw-propeller. Although I prefer to usewheels of this peculiar construction, others may be substituted,provided their blades have, at one point in the revolution of the wheel,a square pull upon the water. Vhatever style of wheels may be adopted,they must be so arranged that the points of maximum propelling action ofthe paddlesthat is, where they stand at right angles to the vesselscourse-will be where their axes are at the greatest distance from thevessels center 5 in other words, upon the outer sides ofthe respectivewheels, as clearly illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 8. The wheels thusarranged and operating will throw strong currents of water across thestern of the vessel. Thesecurrents or waves, meeting at the center lineot' the vessels wake, destroy each other by first banking up and thengradually subsiding, without ever v paddles. I the vessel can besteered, and the rudder,

reaching the banks of the stream. Practically, these currents or Wavesmeet at, or nearly at, tlestern-post, so that, instead oi' the usualdepression in the Water at that point, tending to retard the progress ofthe vessel, there Will now be an elevated bank of water, which mustnecessarily aid largely in the propulsion of thevessel. The initialdevices ofthe mechanisms for imparting the feathering action to thepaddles of the respective Wheels are connected to a steering-Wheel, bymeans of which they may be shifted for the purpose of changing thepoints of maximum propelling1 action of the paddles, and, consequently,the course of the vessel.

The construction of the Wheels and steering mechanisms shown is asfollows: The frameA of each wheel is rigidly secured to its verticalv vthe respective paddle-Wheels maybe heldfrom revolving by any deviceattached to the vessel.

f Thus they may be controlled by levers con nected by suitable ropes orchains .to a steering-Wheel, by means of which the Wheels I may Y beadjustedA for the purpose of changing the points of maximum propellingaction of the By such adjustment of the Wheels therefore, dispensedwith. The means Ihave shown for controlling the Wheels I consist of thefollowing devices: Each Wheel I has connected to it a bevel-Wheel, Il,gearing respectively into thc bevel-Wheels 1212 upon the divergingshafts If" I3. Each shaft I3 carries at its opposite Aend a bevel-Wheel,I4, gearing into a cog-Wheel, I5, upon the shaft of the steering-WheelI6, which is to be manipulated by the helmsman in the usual manner.

The paddles D are made tapering from end to end, and are connected tothe Wheels With the broader end at the bottom, for the purpose alreadystated.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination of two vertical immersed paddle-Wheels, arranged atthe stern of a vessel, about equidistant from its center, and rotated inopposite directions, the paddles being feathered, so as to obtain. asquare pull upon the Water at the outer sides of the respective Wheels,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. Two paddlewheels, arranged and operating as described, in combinationWith tillers or equivalent devices, which, by governing in uni- Json theinitial devices of the respective featherin g mechanisms of the Wheels,control the loforce of the paddles for steering purposes.

3. Two paddle-Wheels, arranged and operating as described, and havingtapering paddles, which are disposed With their broader ends at thebottom ofthe wheels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of Which invention I hereunto set my hand.

, ROBERT IIUN TER.

IVitnesses:

FRANK MILLWARD, J. L. WARTMANN.

cation of the points of maximum propelling

